In a distributed system, two entities can communicate with each other using data structures. That is, for example, one of the entities constructs a block of data in which information is arranged in a predefined structure. This block of data is then sent to the other entity, which then interprets the information in the block of data. The entities may comprise, for example, processes in a distributed system that are using inter-process communication (IPC) techniques to communicate with each other.
One of the entities may undergo a version change that also changes the version of the data structure that it constructs and/or interprets. The other entity must therefore also undergo a version change so that both of the entities use the same version of the data structure for undisrupted communication.
It is an object of embodiments of the invention to at least mitigate one or more of the problems of the prior art.